AN ANIMAL charity that became a hospital is about to celebrate 30 years.

South Essex Animal Hospital charity, Orsett was founded in the Eighties and the purpose built hospital opened six years ago.

The hospital is a fully equipped with everything a regular veterinary surgery needs and more.

Sue Schwar, manager at the hospital works alongside other veterinary staff and volunteers to keep the important service running smoothly.

The spring and summer months often see a spike in the number of young animals brought to the hospital.

Sue Schwar called the hospital is a veterinary facility that treats sick injured and orphaned wildlife.

She added: "Additionally we provide work placements for students and volunteers and advice to the public and other agencies such as councils and police.

"We receive around 10,000 casualties each year of all different species from large animals such as deer to small ones such as bats and frogs.

"All the animals that we see are given the of best care by our volunteers and treated by one of our veterinary team. We are currently hand rearing an orphan fallow fawn that has been born completely out of season.

"Virtually all of the animals needing our help have in some way been a victim of human hazards, and as people's use of their habitat increases the situation for our wildlife is becoming worse making the work we do more vital than ever."

Sue said that finding the funding to enable the hospital to run is always a huge challenge, for the basic upkeep, the charity needs over £100,000 each year just for essentials, and special projects that need further funding.

An example of this is how the hospital ambulance currently needs replacing.

Miss Schwar said that whilst each year the work load increases it is noticeable that some species, such as hedgehogs, are in decline due to lack of accessible habitat.

She added: "The most common casualties, we see, are animals that have been caught by domestic cats, these far outnumber the other patients added together.

"Cases like these are a particularly upsetting part of our work.

"I have always had animals but the charity took off when I started working with Essex Police and the public would call there asking for help.

"As there was no wildlife rescue in the area, I began to help where I could and it wasn't long before animal welfare became my vocation .

"The UK is regarded as a nation of animals lovers and compared to some other countries this is the case however we frequently are faced with horrendous cruelty cases or animals that have suffered due to ignorance or bad advise."

Miss Schwar said she wants to advise anyone who finds a wildlife casualty to phone the hospital for advice immediately.

She told The Echo that the proposed new Thames crossing is a massive threat to the survival of the hospital as it will come within such a close range and could make functioning impossible.

She also thinks that it is certain to be disastrous for the wildlife of Thurrock.

Miss Schwar added: "Aside from financial help that the hospital is always in need of we are staffed mainly by volunteers many of whom go on to work in the animal industry or progress into veterinary sciences.

"Due to this there is a need to for us to recruit new volunteers who are practical, compassionate and hard working.

"Our fundraising volunteer Sharon Davies is also looking for people to join her team, she has now been working at the hospital for over a year.

"Tom Linsel, our main vet, is kept constantly busy and says he never knows what will come through the door next.

"We are very grateful for all the support that we are given, public donations are our only income without which the charity would not exist and many animals would not be rescued."

The charitable organisation will have a stand at the Billericay Christmas Market, High Street, Billericay on Sunday December 4 selling all kinds of animal merchandise and gifts ideas for Christmas to raise much needed funds.

To find out more about the animal hospital visit https://southessexwildlife.org/